Scr. Menturnis III aut prid. Non. Mai. a. 703
Ego vero et tuum in discessu vidi animum et meo sum ipse testis. Quo magis erit tibi videndum, ne quid novi decernatur, ut hoc nostrum desiderium ne plus sit annuum. De Annio Saturnino curasti probe. De satis dando vero te rogo, quoad eris Romae, tu ut satis des. Et sunt aliquot satisdationes secundum mancipium veluti Mennianorum praediorum vel Atilianorum. De Oppio factum est, ut volui, et maxime quod DCCC aperuisti. Quae quidem ego utique vel versura facta solvi volo, ne extrema exactio nostrorum nominum exspectetur.
Nunc venio ad transversum illum extremae epistulae tuae versiculum, in quo me admones de sorore. Quae res se sic habet. Ut veni in Arpinas, cum ad me frater venisset, in primis nobis sermo isque multus de te fuit. Ex quo ego veni ad ea, quae fueramus ego et tu inter nos de sorore in Tusculano locuti. Nihil tam vidi mite, nihil tam placatum, quam tum meus frater erat in sororem tuam, ut, etiam si qua
CICERO’S LETTERS
TO ATTICUS
BOOK V
I
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Menturnae, May 5 or 6, B.C. 51
Yes, I did see your feelings when we parted, and to my own I can testify. That is an additional reason why you should take care that no new decrees are passed, to prevent this painful separation from lasting more than one year. You have taken the right steps with Annius Saturninus. As to the guarantee, please give it yourself, while you are in town. There are some proofs of ownership, for instance those for Mennius’ or rather Atilius’ estate. You have done exactly what I wanted in Oppius’ case, especially in putting the £7,000[[165]] to his credit. I must have that paid off without waiting till I’ve got in all my arrears, even if I have to get into the hands of the Jews[[166]] over it.
Now I come to the line you wrote crosswise at the end of your letter, in which you give me a word of advice about your sister. The facts of the case are that when I reached Arpinum and my brother had come, the first thing we did was to have a long talk about you. After that I brought the talk round to the discussion you and I had about your sister at Tusculum. My brother’s behaviour then to your sister was gentleness and kindness itself. If there ever was any quarrel about
[165]. 800,000 sesterces.
[166]. Versuram facere = to borrow money to pay off a previous loan.